Loom for weaving tufted pile fabrics



' June 24, 1930.

T w. HEAD LOOM FOR WEAVING TUFTED FILE FABRICS Filed March 9, 929

3 Sheets-Sheet l June 24, 1930. T. W. HEAD LOOM FOR WEAVING .I'UFTEDFILE FABRICS Filed March 9, 1929 s Shuts-Sheet 2 June 24, 1930. T. w.HEAD 67 8 LOOM FOR WEAVING TUFTED PILE FABRICS Filed March 9, 1929 3Sheets-Sheet; 3

*4 i4 i Q m L .j] ITIQ Q i I g 1F 7' I g 1 i \Q Patented June 24, 1930UNITED STATES PATENT GFFECE THOMAS WILLIAM HEAD, OLE"v BRIDGNORTH,ENGLAND LOOM FOR WEAVING TUF'IED PILE FABRICS I Application filed March9, 1929, Serial No. 3455 37, and in Great Britain April 13, 1928.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to looms for weavingtufted pile fabrics, and refers to looms of the kind wherein the tuftsare inserted in rows across 5 the fabric and are separated from theirsource of supply either before their insertion between the warp threadsor after they have been bound into the backing of the fabric, and theinvention applies more particularly [0 tothe cutter mechanism by whichsaid tufts are severed from their source of supply.

In looms of the kind referred to, such severance of the tufts hashitherto usually been effected by means of inner and outer cutter bladesmounted upon blocks which extend across the loom, these cooperatingcutter blades'being adapted to be brought together on opposite sides ofthe row of tufts to produce a shearing action, and this shearing actionbeing generally dependent upon pressure applied to the blades atopposite ends of the supporting blocks.

' Unless however the blocks are very strong and substantial or can beprovided with auxiliary supports, there is always a danger of theintermediate parts of the blocks springing or giving way, and thusreducing the pressure on the cutter blades below that necessary forseverance of the tufts. This springing or flexing of the cutter bladeblocks is more apparent in comparatively wide looms, as in this case thedistance between the points at which pressure can be applied is greaterthan in the case of narrow looms, and owing to the restricted spaceavailable in the loom, the blocks cannot readily be strengthened orsupported to the extent required by their increased length.

The present invention has for its object 4 therefore to provide meanswhereby sufficient pressure to sever the tufts can be automaticallyapplied to the cutter blades at all points across looms of wide widthswithout any undue strain or without unnecessarily increasing the sizeand weight of the cutter blade blocks. I

The invention consists essentially, in an arrangement wherein. theshearing action of the cutter blades is governed by mutual springpressure applied to the blades at spaced intermediate points in thewidth of I i the loom, this spring pressure being preferably applied toa plurality of blade sections disposed end to end to constitute one orother of the cutter blades.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into practice, reference may be had to the appended explanatorysheets of drawings, upon which Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevationillustrating the tuft cutter mechanism of a loom in accordance with theinvention.

Figure 2 is an inverted plan of the sectional outer cutter blade and itssupporting block.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the sectional outer cutter blade and itssupporting block as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the outer and inner cutter blades andtheir supporting blocks, in part section through a supporting stud in aplane corresponding to the line 44 of Figure 3. s

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional elevation of the'outer cutter blade andits supporting block, the section being taken through a pressure springon the line'55 of Figure 3. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional elevation ofthe outer cutter blade and its supporting block, the section being takenthrough a slide on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is an inverted plan of the oute cutter blade andvitssupportingblock in a modified form, While figure 8 is a rear elevationof the outer cutter blade and its supporting block as shown in Figure 7.

In a convenient method of carrying the invention into effect, as applied.to a royal Axminster type of carpet loom, and as illustrated in Figures1 to 6, a straightinner cutter blade w, either entire or divided, and ofsufiicient length to extend across the fab ric, is fixed upon acorresponding inner. supporting block b which is suitably ,mounted,

for example on a pair of cam-actuated levers '0, so as to be adapted foroperation to bring the inner cutter blade w into position against therow of pile yarns delivered by the tube and spool carrier device cl forinsertion between the warp threads 6, so

that at the proper time a row of tufts of the required length can be cutfrom the source of supply. The opposed part of the cutting apparatusconsists of a series of outer cutter blade sections fattachedrespectively to a'corresponding series of carrier plates 9 mounted endtoend upon an outer supporting biock it extending across the loom andadapted for operation as required, the block 71. having for exampleterminal slides i which are accommodated within fixed guides j of a pairof brackets 70 and are movable therein under control of a pair ofcam-actuated levers Z which are connected respectively by links 12?, toend pins n on the block. These outer cutter blade sections f have theiredges arranged in oblique or angular relation to the inner cutter bladeat, and in slightly stepped formation as shown in Figure 2 therebyensuring an easier and more effective-shearing or guillotine action forseverance of the tufts e when the edges of the outer cutter bladesections 7' come into contact with the edge of the inner cutter blade a.At the foremost end of each of the outer cutter blade sections f afinger 0 is provided so that on the forward movement of the block 7: theedges of the outer cutter blade sections f are led into exactly correctshearing position over the edge of the inner cutter blade at so as tosever the tufts, and these fingers 0 are preferably arranged incooperation with small fixed inclines p provided at correspondinglyspaced'positions on the preferably by means of a pair of headed studs 9which pass upwardly through the carrier plate 9 and are then adjustablyscrewed into the block it, a pair or plurality of spiral or othersprings 9" being interposed between the carrier plate 9 and the block,in recesses s'located at longitudinally spaced points between-oradjacent the pair of studs 9, these springs 0 serving to keep thecarrier plate 9 and its cutter blade section 7 flexibly pressed apartfrom the block 72, as far as the heads of the studs 9 will allow, asmore particularly shown in Figures a and 5, the springs being of such astrength that when the edges of the outer cutterblade sections fcomeinto contact with the edge of the inner cutter blade at, the tufts aresevered without any undue strain on any part of either of the pair ofblocks 6 and h. The series of separatespring-loaded sections 7 f of theouter cutter blade also adapt themselves to any slight deformation orirregularity in the edge of the inner cutter blade I a, and provide acorresponding series of independent but flexible and uniform shearingcuts operating simultaneously or substantially simultaneously across theentire width of the fabric, these several shearing actions being furtherfacilitated by setting the studs 9 of each cutter blade section f atdifierent levels so as normally to locate the series of cutter bladesections in slightly stepped planes as shown in Figure3. The carrierplates 9 may each be provided with an; upwardly projecting slide t whichfits into a corresponding slot at in the block h, for the purpose ofpreventing transverse rocking of the cutter blade sections f and anyconsequent liability of the carrier plates 9 to bind on their supportingstuds 9.

In the modification, as illustrated in Fig ures 7 and 8, the outercutter blade f, in-

stead of being of the sectional form as above described, may be arrangedin one continuous length, attached to a corresponding continuous carrierplate g, with a plurality of the springs r interposed at any desiredlongitudinal spacing between the carrier plateg and the block h, andwith. a corresponding plurality of the studs 9 and slide t, theconstruction being otherwise similar to that already described withreference to Figures 1 to 6.

What I claim as my invention to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a loomfor and desire weaving tufted pile fabrics, a two-bladed tuft cuttermechanism which comprises a straight cutter blade mounted on a movablesupporting block on one side of the row of tuft yarns to be cut, aplurality of blade sections mounted end to end in stepped formation onan opposed movable supporting block on the other side of said row toconstitute the complementary cutter blade, and pressure springsseparately applied to the individual blade sections so as to ensureindependent but flexible and uniform shearing actions of the pluralityof blade sections extendincr across the fabric.

2. A tuft cutter mecIianism for looms as claimed in claim '1, whereineach springloaded blade section is fixed-to a separate carrier platewhich in turn is suspended from the supporting block byadjustable studsor the like, and wherein the pressure springs are interposed between thecarrier plate and the blockto ensure a yielding. or flexible andadjustable support of the can.

rier plate and blade section uponsaid studs. 7

8. In a loom for weaving tufted fabrics, a two-bladed tuft cuttermechanism comprising a movable supporting block on one side of the rowof tuft yarns to bei-cut, a cutter element carried thereby, acomplementary cutter element, an opposed movable support,- ing block onthe other side of said row of tuft yarns, and means for adjustably andflexibly mounting said complementary cutter element upon said lastmentioned block, said means comprising a plurality of headed studsadjustably carried by said last mentioned block, a carrier platesuspended from said studs, and a plurality of pressure springsinterposed between said carrier plate and its supporting block at spacedintervals in the Width of the loom, said complementary cutter elementbeing attached to said carrier plate.

4. A tuft cutter mechanism for looms as specified in claim 1, includinga series of projecting guide fingers provided on the respectivespring-loaded sections of the one blade, in co-operation with fixedinclines provided at correspondingly spaced positions on thecomplementary blade, for further controlling the shearing action of thecooperating blade.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS WILLIAM HEAD.

